Calling India

The word “outsourcing” may carry plenty of negative connotations in the US – but not when consumers are hunting for a good deal. Parents in the US, desperate to help their children achieve in an increasingly competitive global environment, seek tutoring services but don’t want to spend a lot of money. Using a voice-over-internet phone and an interactive computer “whiteboard,” a pupil in Beverly Hills can speak in real-time with a tutor in Delhi. Like other outsourced work, new online programs that link American students with Indian teachers cost less: US tutors typically charge $40 to $100 per hour, but the online services based in India offer help on homework or SAT preparation for as low as $20 an hour – more than what many Indian classroom teachers earn. –YaleGlobal